Hanger for trolley-wires.



G, H. BOLUS. HANGER FOR TROLLEY WIRES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1912.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

@XAhww HE NORRIS PETERS 50., FHOTU-LITHO. WASHINGTON. D. C

- rEn STATES PALT I v I -T GLENN HENRY Bonuses MANSFIELD, OHIO, AS$IGNQR To THE onro BRAss COMPANY,

OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION or N W JEns Y.

HANGER FOR TROLLEY-WIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 22, 1914 Application filed February 9, 1912. Serial No 676,517.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLENN H. Hours, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hangers for Trolley-Wires, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to suspension devices for electric conductors, and has particular reference to improvements in trolley wire hangers of the type generally lmown as catenary hangers.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved hanger for trolley wires which will be simple and durable in construction and inexpensive to manufacture; which will positively and securely hold the trolley wire, and which may be easily and quickly attached or detached from the wire without disturbing or damag- I ing it in any manner.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved catenary hanger embodying a wire clamping and holding member formed or pressed from a single piece of metal.

With these and other hereinafter apparent objects in view, my invention consists in the features of novelty disclosed in the construction, combination and arrangements of parts shown in the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of my invention, and in which-.-

7 Figure l is a view in elevation showing my improved hanger. Fig. 2 is an end view partly in section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side or face View of the clamp ing member without the clamping bolts. Fig. 4 is a top view thereof, and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in section on substantially the line 55 of Fig. 2 showing the'relation of theclamping member and the suspension member.

'My invention is shown in the drawings as embodied in a catenary hangerfor use'more particularly with trolley wires of the socalled grooved and figure 8 types. but it will be readily apparent, after an understanding of myinvention has been obtained from the disclosures herein made. that m improved hanger may by suitable modification, be;

7 adapted to other types of trolley wires, such as the round wire, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In catenary lineconstruction for electric I railway, it is desirable thatthe hangers used for suspending the trolley wire be as light in weight as possible, consistent with the proper strength and durable. It is alsodesirable that the. hangers be made of the fewest possible number of parts, that they be capable of being manufactured at minimum expense, and that they be capable of being readily and easily attached to or detached from the trolley wire, without sacrifice to the proper functions of the hangers.

My improved hanger, shown in the drawings, is what I regard as the best form, and meets all of these requirements. It will be seen that the hanger member A, which is attached or clamped to the trolley wire B (the so-called grooved type being shown) is preferably composed of a piece or blank of sheet metal. This blank of metal is preferably substantially rectangular, although it may be of any suitable geometrical shape. In the form shown the metal is bent or formed along substantiallyits center, that is to say, it is doubled upon itself to form a member which is substantially U shaped in cross section. Although the bend may be made in any manner or form best adapted to the particular requirements, I prefer to make the bend l in the sheet metal upon a radius substantially equal to or a trifle less than the radius of the trolley wire to which the hanger is to be attached, as shown in Fig. 2. It will also be seen that with this formation the sides 2 and 3 are substantially parallel and tangentially disposed with respect to the trolley wire. Hence the hanger is substantially no thicker than the diameter of the trolley wire to which it is attached, and offers no obstruction to the travel contact member which I engages the trolley wire, Whether this con-' tact member be the usual form of trolley wheel or Whether it be of the roller type as used on pantographs. The lower edges or lips 4L and 5 respectively are preferably turned inwardly so as to properly engage the trolley wire. The particular formation of these lips depends upon the type of trol ley Wire used. As before mentioned, I have shown my improved hanger in connection with the. grooved tvpe'of trolley wire, and these lips are inturned substantially as shown in Fig. 2 to adapt thehanger to the grooved or figure 8 type of trolley wire.

In order that the member lk may be firmly clamped or attached to the trolley. wire,

"preferably in such manner that it may be readily detached therefrom,if desired, I pro vide several bolts 6 or screws, which are adapted to draw the two sides 2. and 3 toward each other to secure the proper clamping effect. Any suitable type of clamping bolt may be used, but I prefer that the bolts be S0 associated with the member A that they will notv project beyond the planes of the side faces 2 and 3, whereby the clamping or hanger member may be generally smooth and fiat as a whole. For these reasons the bolts or screws 6 are of the flat headed type. This type of bolt requiresa,

"ber, is not thick enough to accommodate a su'liicient number of thre'ads to prevent strip- I ing of the threads when the bolts are,

screwed up tight, and for this reason Iprovidef circular openings in the side 3 and I turn or press the contiguous metal inwardly so as to form elongated sleeves or sockets 8,

as clearly shown in Fig. 2. These sleeve portions 8 thus formed are considerably longer than the thickness of the sheet metal, hence they may be provided with a sufficient number of threads to receive the threaded end of the bolt 6 and allow the bolts to be screwed up tight without stripping the threads. It will be observed that with this construction I am enabled to dispose the bolts compara tively close to the trolley wire, and in this manner form a very effective clampr While I may use any type. of device for suspending the hanger from the usual messenger wire, I prefer, on account of simplicity and convenience of manufacture, to use apiece of strap metal l0. By using strap metal I am enabled to attach thesusvpension member 10 to the member A. in a very simple manner. Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the lower end of the strap suspension member 10 projects downwardly through anelongated slot 11, which is punched in the curved portion 1 of the member A preferably before the metal sheet is formed up. The lower end of the strap metal extends betweent-he side members 2 and 3 of member A, and is provided with'a circular opening or hole 12, through which one of the bolts 6 passes. In the structureshown the center bolt 6 is used for this purpose.

senger wire.

2 of the A; in'su'ch manner that the depres- The suspension'member 10 may be attached or connected'with the messenger wire in any suitable manner. In the structure shown the upper end of the strap 10 is doubled back on itself to formra hook or elongated slot 13, in which the'mes'senger wire may work and the free end 1a of this strap is preferably turned laterally and then at' right angles thereto to prevent the hanger from being displaced from the mesgated slot, whichis closed by the right angle end 15 in one direction, but this end is suffic ently spaced from the strap 10 to enable 7 it to be hooked over the messenger wire by first placing thehanger substantially parallel to the messenger wire, then entering-the messenger wire into the slot-13, andthen turning the hanger downwardly at substane tially right angles'to the messenger wire.

What I claim is:

. 1. In a catenary hanger, the combination of a one-piece member having-substantially parallel sides andg'o'pposed lips for gripping the trolley wire,;bolts passing through the sides of said member for drawing the lips into gripping engagement with the wire, and a suspension member extending through said member and between the sides thereof and attached thereto by one of said bolts. a I

A catenary hanger, comprising a ll- 1 This forms in effect an elonshaped piece of sheet'metal having its opposed edges formed to engage a trolley wire, and an open ng in the bend thereof, a suspension member extendingthrough said opening and disposed between the sides of said U shaped member, and a clamping boltextending through said U-shaped member and suspension member.

8. A catenary hanger comprising apiece of sheet metal, doubled upon-itself and having its opposed edges formed as wire engaging lips, and having an g nstanding threaded sleeve in one of the sides of said pression in the other side thereof opposite said threaded sleeve, and afclamping-bolt having its head seated in said countersunk pieceof metal, a portion of the metal being formed inwardly to form a countersunk dedepression and screwed into said threaded pen ng a In acatenary hanger, the combination of aclamping member formed from a single pieceof metal,'having opposed'jaws formed to grip the trolley. wire, and having an opening, a suspension member extending through said opening and positioned be tween the sides of said gripping member, and means for securing said gripping member to said suspension member and for clampingsaid jaws upon the trolley. wire. I

5. In a 'catenary hanger, the, combination of a one piece U-shaped clamping member substantially as thick asthe diameter of the wire to be clamped, andhaving substantially parallel side portions, and holding lips formed at the lower edges of said sides, an opening in said clamping member,

and a strap metal suspension member having its end projecting through said slot, and a clamping bolt for drawing the sides of said clamping member together to' grip the wire therebetween, and for securing said suspension member to said clamping member.

' tween the sides of said piece of metal, and

a clamping bolt passing through said suspension member into threaded engagement with said socket, and having its head seated in said seat. a

7. In a catenary hanger for trolley wires,

the combination of a single slotted piece of sheet metal doubled upon itself and having the opposed edges of its side portions formed as wire engaging lips, and having openings in the opposite sides of said piece of metal, the metal, contiguous tosaid openings being pressed inwardly, and forming 6. In a catenary hanger for trolley wires,

in one side a bolt head seat and in the other side a socket, a suspension member passing through said slot between the sides of said piece of metal, and a clamping bolt in said openings, passing through said suspension, and having its ends substantially flush with said sides.

8. The combination of a single piece of sheet metal bent double to form a U-shaped member of substantially the thickness of the trolley wire to be suspendedand having its edges formed for engagement with the trolley wire, said U-shaped member having oPPO edholesin the sides thereof, the metal contiguous to the hole .in one side being thrust inwardly to form a countersink and in the other side to form a threaded sleeve, a strap metal supporting member passing through said slot and having its end positioned between said countersink and said sleeve to prevent substantial movement thereof and having ahole alined with said opposed holes, and a clamping bolt passed through the hole in one sideof said U- shaped member and through the hole in the suspension strap and threaded into said threaded sleeve. 1

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 6th day of February A. D. 1912.

GLENN HENRY BoLUs.

Witnesses J. ROWLAND BROWN, J. C.- PAINTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

